BUSML 756 Product Design & Development

FISHER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

BUSML4201: CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

COURSE SYLLABUS[i]

Instructor: Dr. Xiaoyan Deng Class Location: Schoenbaum Hall 220

Email: Class Time: TuTh 355-515PM

Office: 534 Fisher Hall Office Hours: By appointment

Course Materials:

Required text: Consumer Behavior,5th Edition, by Wayne D. HoyerandDeborah J. MacInnis, ISBN-10: 0547079923, ISBN-13: 9780547079929.

o  Available at OSU bookstores and online.

o  I prefer that you buy this edition rather than the others. If you do buy a different edition, please note that the chapter numbers are NOT the same as in the 5th edition.

o  For your convenience, a copy of the text will be placed on reserve at the Knowlton Hall Architecture Library (across the street from Fisher).

Course Objectives:

Marketing begins and ends with the consumer, therefore it is essential that anyone wishing to understand marketing understand the consumer. This course is designed to give you an overview of consumer behavior and is intended to acquaint you with both what it means to be a consumer in a market-oriented society and what a marketer needs to know to understand the role of meeting the consumer’s needs in the development of marketing strategy. To this end, we will explore processes involved in consumption and ways in which marketers are better able to predict and influence behavior.

Learning Objectives:

To understand the concepts, theories, and principles from the social sciences that apply to consumers and their purchase behavior.

To learn how to make appropriate marketing decisions based on a sound knowledge of consumer behavior concepts.

To become a more knowledgeable consumer, understanding how consumer behavior principles may affect your own buying patterns.

Course Evaluation:

o  Exams 60 points

1.  Exam 1 20 points

2.  Exam 2 20 points

3.  Exam 3 20 points

o  Group Assignments 30 points

1.  Perceptual maps 7 points

2.  Attitudes 8 points

3.  Decision rules 7 points

4.  The nudge challenge 8 points

o  Individual assignments 10 points

Five in-class unannounced quizzes 2 points each

TOTAL 100 points

Important Notes about Course Format and Course Policy:

ü  attendance and participation:

o  Attendance and participation are VERY important in creating a class environment that is both interesting and meaningful to the student. You should attend all classes. If you miss a class, you will be responsible for everything covered or announced in the class. Come to class on time and try NOT to leave early (this is a personal pet peeve of mine!)

o  Turn your cell phones off when you enter the classroom, and be prepared to actively participate. The classroom is not the place to sleep, chat with friends, read the paper, do crossword puzzles, etc. There will be five in-class unannounced quizzes throughout the semester. These quizzes are based on the day’s material. From time to time, you may be called upon to answer questions on the day’s material as well. Therefore, it is to your benefit to come to class prepared.

o  Fisher College of Business strongly enforces University attendance policies. As per University rule 3335-8-33 (http://trustees.osu.edu/rules/university-rules/chapter-3335-8-instruction.html), any student may be disenrolled from a course for failure to attend by the first Friday of the term, or by the 3rdinstructional day of the term, or by the second class meeting,whichever occurs first.

ü  EXAM:

o  There will be three exams this semester. All of the exams will include material from the textbook, classroom discussion, and any supplemental material provided by the instructor. You are responsible for all material in the text, even if we do not cover it in class. Each exam will only cover the information presented during the portion of the class stated on the syllabus and will not be cumulative.

o  It is the student’s responsibility to bring pencils and pens to each exam. All exams must be taken in class at the scheduled time. Barring an EMERGENCY, you MUST be here on those dates or you will receive a zero (0). Please note the dates of the exams now: February 12th, March 12th, and April 23rd. Trust me, a true emergency is very rare. If one does occur, we will discuss it at that time.

ü  GROUP ASSIGNMENT:

o  There will be four group assignments throughout the semester. For these assignments, the class is broken up into small groups and given a project to work on together during the class period. For these group assignments, you will be asked to write up the solution your group develops to turn in at the beginning of the following class period (except for the 3rd assignment which is due on a different date). One assignment will be turned in per group. If you miss a day when we do group work, your name will not be on the write-up and you will not receive credit for that group assignment. If you let me know prior to class that you are going to miss a group day (for a valid reason) you will have an opportunity to turn in an individual assignment to make up this missed group assignment. These individual make-up assignments are due on the same day that the group reports are due. You may form your own groups for each assignment. Groups may change or stay the same throughout the semester (it is up to you).

o  All assignments must be typed. Any assignment that is not typed will receive an automatic point deduction. The first page of your assignment should include the names of all group members (in alphabetical order).

o  All assignments must be handed in at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Assignments handed in after they are due will receive a maximum of half-credit. The only exceptions are for documented emergencies. Assignments will not be accepted for credit more than one week after the initial due date under any circumstances.

ü  Grade appeal policy:

o  Grades on assignments are intended to reflect the overall quality of performance of the student(s). If you think your grade on an assignment does not reflect the quality of your performance, you may submit a clear, written explanation of your reasoning within one week following the return of your assignment. The written document need not be long but it must clearly identify the problem or issue of concern. I cannot guarantee a grade change but I will consider your appeal. There will be no grading appeals after the one-week deadline has expired.

Grading Scale:

Grade GPA Grade GPA

A = 93-100 % 4.0 C+ = 77-79.9 % 2.3

A- = 90-92.9 % 3.7 C = 73-76.9 % 2.0

B+ = 87-89.9 % 3.3 C- = 70-72.9 % 1.7

B = 83-86.9 % 3.0 D+ = 67-69.9 % 1.3

B- = 80-82.9 % 2.7 D = 60-66.9 % 1.0

F = below 60

Honor Code:

Academic integrity is essential to maintaining an environment that fosters excellence in teaching, research, and other educational and scholarly activities. Thus, The Ohio State University and the Committee on Academic Misconduct (COAM) expect that all students have read and understand the University’s Code of Student Conduct and that all students will complete all academic and scholarly assignments with fairness and honesty. Students must recognize that failure to follow the rules and guidelines established in the University’s Code of Student Conduct and this syllabus may constitute “Academic Misconduct.”

The Ohio State University’s Code of Student Conduct (Section 3335-23-04) defines academic misconduct as: “Any activity that tends to compromise the academic integrity of the University, or subvert the educational process.” Examples of academic misconduct include (but are not limited to) plagiarism, collusion (unauthorized collaboration), copying the work of another student, and possession of unauthorized materials during an examination. Ignorance of the University’s Code of Student Conduct is never considered an “excuse” for academic misconduct, so I recommend that you review the Code of Student Conduct, specifically, the sections dealing with academic misconduct.

If I suspect that a student has committed academic misconduct in this course, I am obligated by University Rules to report my suspicions to the Committee on Academic Misconduct. If COAM determines that you have violated the University’s Code of Student Conduct (i.e., committed academic misconduct), the sanctions for the misconduct could include a failing grade in this course and suspension or dismissal from the University.

Other sources of information on academic misconduct (integrity) to which you can refer include:

o  The Committee on Academic Misconduct web pages (oaa.osu.edu/coam/home.html)

o  Ten Suggestions for Preserving Academic Integrity (oaa.osu.edu/coam/ten-suggestions.html)

o  Eight Cardinal Rules of Academic Integrity (www.northwestern.edu/uacc/8cards.html)

Disability Policy:

Students with disabilities or requiring special accommodations should work directly with The Ohio State University Office of Disability Services (ODS). ODS is located in 150 Pomerene Hall. The ODS phone number is (614) 292–3307.

Additional Readings (Recommended based on interest):

There are many popular press book titles (i.e., not text books!) that cover issues related to our class discussions. Below are some good options to start with.

·  Ariely, Dan (2008), Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape our Decisions, Harper Collins.

·  Ariely, Dan (2010), The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic, Harper Collins.

·  Belsky, Gary and Thomas Gilovich (2000), Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes and How to Correct Them: Lessons from the New Science of Behavioral Economics, Simon and Shuster

·  Cialdini, Robert (2006), Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Collins.

·  Gilovich, Thomas (1993), How We Know What Isn't So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life, Free Press.

·  Gladwell, Malcolm (2007), Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking, Back Bay Books.

·  Gladwell, Malcolm (2002), The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference, Back Bay Books.

·  Heath, Chip and Dan Heath (2007), Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Some Die, Random House.

·  Iyengar, Sheena (2011), The Art of Choosing, Twelve.

·  Kahneman, Daniel (2011), Thinking Fast and Slow, Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

·  Lindstrom, Martin (2005), Brand Sense: Sensory Secrets Behind the Stuff We Buy, Free Press.

·  Lindstrom, Martin (2010), Buyology: Truth and Lies about Why We Buy, Broadway Books.

·  Miller, Geoffrey (2009), Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior, Viking.

·  Schwartz, Barry (2004), The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, Harper Collins.

·  Thaler, Richard H. and Cass Sunstein (2009), Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness, Penguin.

·  Underhill, Paco (2004), Call of the Mall: The Geography of Shopping, Simon and Shuster.

·  Underhill, Paco (2009), Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping: Updated and Revised for the Internet, the Global Consumer, and Beyond, Simon & Schuster.

·  Zaltman, Gerald (2003), How Consumers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market, Harvard Business School Press.

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[i] This syllabus is subject to change when necessary.